Category Archives Class Action Waivers

Although not arising in either the Eighth or Tenth Circuits, the Fifth Circuit's opinion in D.R. Horton v. NLRB, No. 12-60031 (5th Cir. Dec. 3, 2013) was widely anticipated because of the underlying decision's apparent incongruity with the Supreme Court's decision in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion. Our awesome colleagues Bill Martucci and Ashley Schawang from SHB's National Employment Litigation & Policy Practice have provided us with a great snapshot of the decision: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has overruled the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB’s) determination that class-arbitration waivers violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). D.R. Horton v. NLRB, No. 12-60031 (5th Cir. Dec. 3, 2013). In upholding the class waiver in D.R. Horton’s arbitration agreement, the Fifth Circuit joined its sister circuits. The issue arose in the context of an employee’s claim that the arbitration agreement’s class-action waiver was an unfair labor practice under the NLRA. The employee and a nationwide class had…

In Grant v. Convergys Corp., 2013 WL 781898 (E.D. Mo., March 1, 2013), Judge Jackson declined to enforce a class action waiver contained in an employment application because it eliminated the employees' right to engage in collective and class litigation, which is protected concerted activity under Section 7 of the NLRA. In this case, the plaintiff sought to prosecute an FLSA collective action and a MMWL claim under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23. The Defendant moved to strike the class allegations based on the following language contained in the putative class representative's employment application: I further agree that I will pursue any claim or lawsuit relating to my employment with Con-vergys (or any of its subsidiaries or related enti-ties) as an individual, and will not lead, join, or serve as a member of a class or group of persons bringing such a claim or lawsuit. Prior to filing this suit,…